Sheet Pan Maple Pecan Crusted Chicken & Roasted Vegetables

This post is sponsored by PAM Spray Pumps, who has been responsible for many a crispy-baked recipe in this house.

Well, we had a few cool breezes this month, which of course means I’ve nosedived into pumpkin spice, pulled down my bin of sweaters from the attic, and decorated my house with gourds and dried corn. You know me, I’m not great at that whole “moderation” thing.

Speaking of which, I’m also making it a goal this fall not to let my overzealous leap into game day snacking and Thanksgiving recipe-testing translate into me not being able to button my jeans by the time winter rolls around. Usually, when it gets a little chilly, I crave the ultra-comforting cheese-covered casseroles and creamy-sauced pastas. This year, though, I’m all about the vegetables, baby. The fruits, too! Sweet and tender squash, nutty roasted Brussels sprouts, aromatic shallots, tart apples– all of the harvest produce. I’ve gotta say, there are actually few things more comforting than the smell of them roasting in the oven, especially when you’ve got pecans, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar thrown into the mix for extra flavor. In fact, the only thing more comforting might be taking a bite.

And that, my friends, is why I have made this Sheet Pan Maple Pecan Crusted Chicken & Roasted Vegetables three times since the end of August… going on four because I will probably wind up making it again tonight. I seriously can’t get enough of it, and James flings his fist into the air a la Breakfast Club every time he realizes I’m cooking it up for dinner, so I think it’s safe to say he’s excited too.

I already talked a lot about the vegetables, and trust me, they deserve every bit of praise I can pile on. But the real star of this simple sheet pan meal is the chicken, which winds up extremely tender and juicy on the inside but has an amazing crunch from the coating of pecans and panko. I like to throw a little fresh sage, cayenne pepper, salt, and maple syrup into the coating mix as well, just to give it some extra oomph. And as if that wasn’t enough, instead of using your average beaten eggs for dredging, I also mix in Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar so that you get all of that flavor in every bite. Goodbye, bland chicken breasts. Hello, new favorite dinner.

Often when it comes to coated recipes, I throw ‘em in a pan with hot oil to get a great crisp. But when I’m making several portions worth of chicken and a side dish to go along with it, it’s so much easier– and not to mention, healthier– to go the baked route instead. Toss it all on a baking sheet and you don’t have to worry about frying up one thing at a time, or minding a ton of separate dishes. And if you’re wondering if you still get a crispy coating when you bake instead of fry, trust me when I say you can do it. Or even better… You PAM Do It.

Alright, excuse my penchant for corniness, but seriously, I love using PAM Spray Pump Cooking Sprays for baked recipes. Unlike butter and oil, PAM Spray Pump Cooking Spray gives you complete and even control over how much you use, which makes the whole process so much easier. By generously misting the chicken breasts and vegetables with PAM, you can still get great browning and texture while cutting down on added fat and calories. Not to mention, there’s no soggy spots from pools of melted butter or oil as sometimes tends to happen when you try to use either on your baking sheets.

Another thing I love about the PAM Spray Pumps is that they’re aerosol-free and have no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors, so I feel better about using them in my kitchen, whether it be to prevent sticking, crisp up a baked recipe, or even mist a salad with olive oil. They’re available in two varieties: Canola Oil or Olive Oil, and if you tend to use a lot of oil in your kitchen, I can’t recommend them enough.

I mean, seriously, does that look amazing for a baked meal or what?

And while my house tends to fly through all four, large servings of this recipe, the Sheet Pan Maple Pecan Chicken & Roasted Vegetables is a great option if you’re into meal prep as well!

Separate the portions of chicken breasts and veggies into individual containers and bring them to work with you to save money on eating out for lunch, or to incorporate something a little healthier and more satisfying into your work week than freezer meals and processed foods. Plus, you can make your coworkers a little jealous while you’re at it and show off your cooking skills. We all like to show off once in a while, right? 😉

Fellow fall fanatics, put those autumn flavors into full force with this Sheet Pan Maple Pecan Chicken & Roasted Vegetables. And even if you are kind of sad to see summer go, at least it did so deliciously. Enjoy!

In another wide bowl, beat the egg with the mustard, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar. When well combined, dip the chicken breasts, one at a time, in the egg mixture, and then in the pecan mixture, packing the crumbs on the chicken to coat fully. Place the coated chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet.

Scatter the squash, brussels sprouts, apples, and shallots around the chicken to fill the baking sheet, piling up slightly if necessary.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle the mixture over the vegetables. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper, and then spray lightly with cooking spray. Spray the top of the chicken generously to help the crust to crisp and brown.

Place into oven and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 20-25 minutes.

In the final 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle 1/4 cup of pecans over the vegetables and top the chicken breasts each with 1 sage leaf.

Comments

Very well liked by the meat eaters in my family, and a lovely presentation. I had some difficulty getting the breading to stick, so I may make all of the pecans into crumbs next time. Thanks for a good recipe!